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05-01-远大前程 [45]

By Root 3771 0
year to spend as I liked.I suddenly thought of a way I could help Herbert.
  When l asked Wemmick if he could advise me on how to help a friend start up in business,his post-box mouth opened wide.
  ‘Choose one of the six London bridges,’he said,‘and throw your money over it.That's better than investing money for a friend.That's my official opinion,of course.’
  ‘Ah,so you would give me a different opinion at Walworth?’
  ‘You'll be welcome there,Mr Pip,on private business.’
  Next Sunday I visited Wemmick and his aged parent at the Castle.This time there was a lady called Miss Skiffins,clearly a regular visitor,who made the tea,and sat next to Wemmick on the sofa.When he and I were alone,Wemmick listened carefully to my request,and after thinking hard,found an answer.
  With his help I arranged to invest some money in a shipping company called Clarrikers.Finally I signed an agreement with them,in which they promised to offer Herbert a job,and later to make him a partner.At last I felt that my expectations had done some good to someone.


■ 11 匹普出席一个葬礼
  一天晚上,在赫伯特的屋里,一封贴着黑边的信件递给了我。这封信给我带来了乔·葛吉瑞夫人上星期一去世的消息,订于在下星期一下午3点钟安葬。这个消息来得突然,让我十分震惊。对我来讲,这是第一次亲近的人死了,我不能想像生活里没有了我姐姐,即使我从来也没爱过她,甚至最近也没想起她。
  星期一下午,我早早地到达了铁匠铺,乔卷着黑色的斗篷,正在屋子前面坐着。
  “亲爱的乔,你好吗?”我问道。
  “匹普,亲爱的老伙计,你知道她,当她是一个很好的女人时……”他不能再说下去了。
  毕蒂,穿着她那整洁的小黑衣服,正忙着准备饭菜。村里来的老朋友,他们之间正在心平气和地交谈着。我注意到当可怕的潘波趣喝着白兰地、吞食着大块的蛋糕时,他企图捕捉我的眼神。
  “可以吗?我亲爱的先生?可以吗?”他不停地问,热切地摇着我的手。
  我姐姐的尸体被缓慢地抬出屋子,通过村庄,我们紧随其后。我们能看到沼泽地和河里航行的船只。在教堂墓地,紧挨着我一无所知的父母,我那可怜的姐姐安静地躺在泥土里,这时天空上乌云翻滚,乌鸦尖叫。
  当客人们都走了,我和乔、毕蒂心情稍好一些,我们一起吃了顿安静的晚餐。我决定在铁匠铺过夜,这使乔十分高兴,我对自己提出这样做也感到高兴。
  我一直等到毕蒂一个人在的时候,这时我说:“我猜你不会再在这里住下去了,不是吗?毕蒂。”
  “不,匹普先生,我会住在这个村庄的,而且继续尽全力照顾葛吉瑞先生。”
  “你打算怎样生活,毕蒂?如果你需要钱的话——”
  “我打算做一名村办教师,”她的脸颊红润起来,很快地说,“我能自己挣钱。”
  “告诉我,毕蒂,我姐姐是怎么死的?”
  “她的情况比平时反常,一天晚上,她特别清楚地说,‘乔’。因此,我跑到铁匠铺叫他。她搂着他的脖子,头扎在他怀里,看上去很快乐。一次,她说‘对不起’,一次说‘匹普’,她再也没有抬起头,半小时后她离开了人间。”
  毕蒂哭泣我也哭泣着。
  “奥立克怎么样,毕蒂?”
  “他仍然在村里,他再没有为郝薇香小姐干活。你知道,他——他有时还尾随着我。”
  “你一定告诉他,如果他再骚扰你,毕蒂,我会随时在这里的,我不打算离开可怜孤独的乔。”
  毕蒂没有言语。
  “嘿,毕蒂,你沉默不语,什么意思?”
  “那么,你能保证常来看他吗?”
  “噢,毕蒂!”我伤心地说,
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